


give yourself a try

by wangja (ohbirds)



Category: GOT7
Genre: Drabble, Friendship, Gen, OT7, Self-Doubt, and that's okay, bambam is too precious for the world, youngjae can't swim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-17 14:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16518509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohbirds/pseuds/wangja
Summary: Youngjae is an otter who can't swim.





	give yourself a try

**Author's Note:**

> just something i came up while watching episode 2 of hard carry.

Youngjae doesn’t know why he lets it bother him, but he does.

They’re sitting in the waiting area while the staff is setting up by the beach for the surfing segment of the episode. They’d met with the man who would be coaching them to surf today, but Youngjae couldn’t help but feel tense while the others chatted excitedly about going into the water. 

“Hyung, you okay?”

It didn’t make sense, right?

An otter who couldn’t swim. What a joke. But then again what else was new? His whole existence was an exercise in humor, one _he_ didn’t find funny.

“Hyung?”

“I’m an otter who can’t swim.”

Silence follows this declaration, followed by an immediate outburst of questions and concern.

“What?”

“Where is this coming from?”

“Did someone say anything?”

“Tell us what’s on your mind.”

“Dude.”

They’re all talking over each other, the cacophony of voices attracting stares from the staff lingering nearby. Youngjae’s starting to regret saying anything, shrinking under the attention he was garnering.

“So?” 

It’s Bambam who speaks, his voice cutting through the noise, effectively silencing them all. He’s the only one who didn’t react to Youngjae’s announcement, busy doing something on his phone.

Jaebum looks like he’s about to scold Bambam for his casual indifference when Bambam says, “A lot of animals don’t do what they’re supposed to. There’s fish who can’t swim, there’s birds who can’t fly. There’s cats who don’t meow as loud as other cats or dogs who aren’t as affectionate as others. Humans are like that too. But that doesn’t make them any less of what they are.”

Everyone blinks, gobsmacked at Bambam’s little speech.

Bambam continues, as if he hadn’t rendered everyone mute. “That doesn’t mean you can’t learn and even if you can’t, that’s okay! Youngjae hyung, just because you’re an otter who can’t swim, it doesn’t lessen your worth in our eyes.”

Maybe some cat had broken into the room, because his eyes were stinging with tears. Jaebum, grinning like a madman, wrestles Bambam into a headlock, teasing the younger about being a wise owl. Jinyoung ruffles Youngjae’s hair, smiling at him. Yugyeom gives him a towel and a hug.

“Don’t judge your worth based on what you can’t do,” Mark quietly tells him when he leans in for a hug. “You’d be amazed at the things you can accomplish if you just give them a try.”

Youngjae nods, burying his face in the towel to hide the tears and the smile.

The staff announces they’re finished with the preparations and their manager calls out, “Ready to go?”

“Yes!”

“Race you to the beach!” yells Bambam and then they’re off, shouting and laughing, Youngjae the loudest, ready to take on the world.

**Author's Note:**

> before you ask, jackson wasn't in here because he lost in rps to bambam and had to find his own way to the beach, remember?


End file.
